License Renewal

The Accredited CME Department is not qualified to assist or educate in the Illinois or DEA license renewal process for providers. We can provide information on the educational requirements for license renewal and resources to ensure that providers can complete those educational requirements for both licenses.

For specific questions or information regarding the process of license renewal, please reach out to the Illinois State Medical Society, your role-specific professional society, the IDFPR website, or the Medical Staff Office to confirm licensure. The next renewal deadline is July 31, 2026. The IDFPR will automatically forward a notice regarding renewal to each physician prior to the license expiration. The Department will conduct random audits of physicians for compliance with the CME requirements.

State of Illinois Continuing Medical Education Requirements for Physician License Renewal Documentation

Physicians should maintain records of their continuing medical education (CME) activities but are not required to submit documentation to IDFPR with their renewal applications. IDFPR may conduct an audit and randomly select physicians to forward evidence of CME credits. Therefore, it is important to:

  • Keep adequate records of all CME credits earned within the renewal cycle
  • Maintain a list of Category 1 (formal) CME programs and include the name of the sponsor, activity, title, date(s) of attendance, and number of credit hours earned
  • Have certificates verifying credits earned
  • Record all Category 2 (informal) CME activities
  • List the approximate number of hours spent on each type of CME activity
  • Maintain CME records for at least 1 full license cycle (3 years) after the cycle in which credits were earned

CME Requirements

Per the ISMS: For the 2026 renewal, a licensee will be required to complete 150 hours of continuing medical education (CME). Applicants renewing their medical license for the first time following issuance of a license are not required to complete the 150 hours of CME. Credits shall be earned as follows:

  • A minimum of 40% (60 hours) of the required CME hours shall be obtained in formal CME programs. The entire 150-hour requirement may be completed in Category 1.
  • A maximum of 60% (90 hours) of the required CME hours may be obtained in informal CME programs or activities.

Specific CME Coursework Requirements

In Illinois, physicians have wide latitude in deciding what CME courses they choose to complete in order to meet the 150-hour minimum. The state does, however, require physicians and other licensed healthcare professionals to complete certain issue-specific programs as part of that 150-hour minimum.

In 2023, ISMS successfully advocated for legislation allowing physicians more time to complete most of the required courses. Instead of taking certain mandated courses every licensure cycle, physicians now have the flexibility to take certain courses every other licensure cycle and the number of issue-specific mandated hours is reduced. Training on safe opioid prescribing has been reduced from three hours every licensure cycle to 1 hour every six years. Below are the mandatory CME topics for Illinois physicians:

Every Three Years:

  • Sexual Harassment Prevention (1 hour)
  • Implicit Bias (1 hour)

Every Six Years:

  • Opioids (1 hour)
  • Cultural Competency (1 hour)
  • Recognizing Dementia (1 hour) - Physicians licensed for the first time during the 2023 - 2026 licensure period must complete the dementia training once prior to renewal in 2026, and thereafter have six years to complete the training again.

Off cycle:

  • Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse

Physicians and others who are required to report child abuse or child neglect must complete an initial mandated reporter training within three months of their date of engagement in a professional or official capacity as a mandated reporter, and at least every six years thereafter if they work with children in a professional or official capacity.  This requirement is not specifically tied to the Illinois medical license renewal. At each license renewal, physicians who work with children must attest to their understanding of their role as a mandated reporter.

Medical personnel who do not work with children in their professional or official capacity are not required to undergo repeated training, and they may instead attest at each license renewal to their understanding of their mandated reporter role.

For more information, visit the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services website.

For more information on these mandated courses, visit the ISMS Licensure FAQ page.

Specific CME Coursework Requirements

Licensed professionals in Illinois, including physicians, must complete the following training requirements and opioid training for their license renewal by July 31, 2026.

  • Sexual Harassment Prevention Training - IDFPR FAQ (Website)
    The 1-hour sexual harassment prevention education mandate applies to ANY profession licensed by the state that requires continuing education as a condition of re-licensure. Edward-Elmhurst Health ACME program is releasing Sexual Harassment Training for all providers that meet the requirement for license renewal. Release date: 11/15/21 - Expires 12/31/24.

  • Implicit Bias Training - ISMS Physician License Renewal (Website)

    Every licensed healthcare professional must take one hour of training on recognizing implicit bias in healthcare. All the special requirements noted above count toward the 150 hours required for renewal. Edward-Elmhurst Health ACME program has previously released enduring content on unconscious bias that meets the requirements for license renewal. The training is available through 12/31/24.

  • Recognizing Dementia - ISMS Physician License Renewal (Website)
    Every licensed healthcare professional with direct patient interaction with adults aged 26 and above must take one hour of training on diagnosing, treating, and caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Options for taking a course on Dementia are listed below.

All of the requirements noted above count toward the 150 hours of the total CME required for physician license renewal. For complete information on license renewal requirements for the state of Illinois, click here for ISMS info.

Sexual Harassment Training

Edward-Elmhurst Health ACME department is offering online Sexual Harassment Training that counts toward Illinois License Renewal requirements.   There is no prerequisite requirement for Illinois State license renewal or this course.

Note to Employed providers: (Physicians, APPs, RNs, etc.) This does not count toward, nor is it a part of, HR’s employee mandatory training requirement issued in HealthStream.

TAKE SEXUAL HARASSMENT COURSE

Unconscious Bias Training

Everyone has unconscious biases. Find out how to challenge your assumptions, enhance objectivity, overcome stereotyping, and broaden perspectives to combat implicit biases.

Neuroscientists believe that more than 95% of the decisions we make are based on unconscious awareness of previous experiences, upbringing, and our brain essentially working on autopilot so that it can filter through the enormous amount of information it receives. The brain relies on assumptions that operate automatically. These mental shortcuts help us make decisions quickly and efficiently, however they can have unintended consequences, including irrational thinking and faulty decision making. When human beings are involved, bias can result in stereotyping, prejudice, and a lack of diversity in our lives and at work causing any number of problems. This interactive course will assist participants in digging deeper into their own unconscious biases and give them practical techniques for acting and thinking consciously in order to make objective decisions. Ultimately this will start a path toward diversity and inclusion and recognizing how each of us plays a role in making healthcare equitable. By understanding our own unconscious bias and what effect they may have on others, especially in healthcare, we can think more critically and consciously and plan to implement change.

TAKE THE UNCONSCIOUS BIAS COURSE

DCFS Mandatory Reporting Training

Required by the State of Illinois for License renewal.

An estimated 125,000 Illinois children are abused or neglected yearly, and one in five kids is abused before 18. DCFS receives, investigates, and acts upon a report of child abuse or neglect every five minutes, child sex abuses every two hours, and child death by abuse or neglects every day-and-a-half. Despite the increase in reports, many severe cases of child maltreatment go unreported, even by mandated reporters. Some reporters believe that “it doesn’t do any good” to make a report. Other reporters may not be open to the possibility of child maltreatment and may therefore deny its presence. The lack of specificity in the law and its definitions of abuse and neglect can create many “gray areas”, leading to confusion for reporters. In making a report, mandated reporters are in the best position to identify signs of harm to children and take the necessary steps to help protect them. This activity was designed to increase awareness of the procedure for making a report and knowledge of what happens once a report is accepted. If mandated reporters can make the most effective reports, the available resources for protecting children can be put to the best use.

TAKE THE DCFC MANDATORY REPORTING COURSE

Dementia Training

Someone in the world develops dementia every 3 seconds, and over 55 million people worldwide live with dementia. This number will almost double every 20 years, reaching 78 million by 2030 and 139 million by 2050, with the majority of the increase in developing countries. Sixty percent of people with dementia live in low- and middle-income countries, but by 2050 this number will rise to 71%. The fastest growth in the elderly population is taking place in China, India, and their South Asian and Western Pacific neighbors. Additionally, the total worldwide cost of dementia was $818 billion in 2015. The annual global cost of dementia is now above $1.3 trillion and is expected to rise to $2.8 trillion by 2030. Only 20-50% of dementia cases are recognized and documented in Primary Care. This ‘treatment gap’ is much more significant in low- and middle-income countries, with one study suggesting that 90% remain undiagnosed. This means those individuals do not have access to treatment, care, and the organized support provided by receiving a formal diagnosis.

TAKE THE DEMENTIA TRAINING COURSE

External Training Options

Edward-Elmhurst Health does not have the 8 hours required for DEA MATE provider training. However, there are a number of free options listed below for providers. Additionally, if providers need hours beyond what is offered to them through Edward-Elmhurst Health for licensure, the following options are available through outside institutions:

(This is not an exhaustive list. However, it may assist those looking for more hours.)

BUPRENORPHINE GUIDELINES & MATE DEA TRAINING

MATE DEA is a federal requirement separate from the 3-hour Opioid Safe Prescribing Guidelines mandated by the State of Illinois.

Buprenorphine Guidelines

In April 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued revised Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder (Practice Guideline). The Practice Guideline removed two longstanding requirements for obtaining a Drug Addiction Treatment Act (DATA) of 2000 waiver to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder (OUD): the requirement for specific training and the need for otherwise eligible clinicians to certify their ability to provide or refer for counseling or other ancillary services. This research report examines changes in clinician waiver uptake and the number of unique patients receiving buprenorphine for OUD from retail pharmacies in the early months after the Practice Guideline took effect (from June to December 2021).

MATE (Medication Access and Training Expansion) Training & DEA Requirements

The MATE Act requires increased training for DEA-registered physicians and practitioners—specifically, a one-time eight-hour training requirement on treating and managing patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. The DEA recently outlined how DEA registrants can meet the new requirements. In response, the American Medical Association has pulled together resources on the AMA EdHub to help physicians comply with those requirements before renewing or applying for DEA registration. CLICK HERE to take the AMA courses to meet the requirements.

On or after June 27, 2023, practitioners need to check a box on their online DEA registration form—whether they’re first-time registrants or renewing—attesting that they have completed eight hours of training on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders. The MATE Act is a one-time requirement. Once training is complete, you don’t need to do so for future registration renewals.

Additional Resources for 8-hour MATE DEA Compliance:

GENERAL OPIOID TRAINING

Recommended Accredited Activities by Federal, State, or Professional Society

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Hours Offered: Up to 11 | Associated Cost: Free | Expires: Dates Vary. The CDC offers interactive training that assists providers in applying the CDC's guidelines on safe prescribing. Modules are worth 1.0 credits each, self-paced, and free of charge. You must be logged into the CDC's online education platform, TCEO, to access the modules best and claim credit. Instructions can be found here.

Pain Management and Opioids CME
Hours Offered: 10 | Associated Cost: Free
The new Pain Management and Opioids modules within NEJM Knowledge + Internal Medicine Board Review and Family Medicine Board Review are offered in partnership with Boston University School of Medicine’s Safer/Competent Opioid Prescribing Education (SCOPE of Pain) program.

Illinois State Medical Society
Hours Offered: 5 | Associated Cost: Free for ISMS members. $75 for non-ISMS members. | Expires: Dates Vary
The Illinois State Medical Society offers five accredited activities worth 1 CME credit. Find them under the "ISMS CME Course" heading on the above ISMS page.

Reducing Stigma Educational Tools (ReSET)
Hours Offered: 1.5 | Associated Cost: Free
The University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School presents interactive online learning activities designed to reduce the stigma of patients with opioid use disorder.

Other Specialty Resources and Publications

IAFP (Illinois Academy of Family Physicians)
The Illinois Academy of Family Physicians already has many 1-hour online courses on opioid safety that you can take today and more planned for the future! The courses include:

  • Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program Update & MAT Deserts
  • Sharing Challenges and Best Practices in Medication-Assisted Treatment for OUD
  • Harm Prevention and Harm Reduction in opioid safety
  • Opiate Use Disorder and Medication-Assisted Treatment
  • Buprenorphine Case Presentations & Best Practices

American Medical Association - Ed Hub

Listed here are CME-accredited opportunities specific to Illinois requirements from the American Medical Association (AMA), including journal-based CME activities in various specialties.

National Institute on Drug Abuse
Provided here are CME activities (various credits and expiration dates) related to opioids, including a section focused on prescribing.

REMS: Opioid and Analgesic Education
As the FDA requires, a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy has been implemented for known and potential risks related to opioids and analgesics. The program includes multiple accredited educational opportunities for providers.

Point-of-Care Naloxone Distribution in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study
The American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP) shares the results of a study evaluating the feasibility of point-of-care (POC) distribution of naloxone in an ED.

Providers Clinical Support System
The Providers Clinical Support System offers a variety of enduring material for APPs and physicians on Opioid Use Disorders, Stigma, Recovery, and more.

DEMENTIA TRAINING

1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit required by the State of Illinois for License renewal.

Continuing Education on Alzheimer's and Dementia
The Alzheimer's Association offers continuing medical education on Alzheimer's and dementia, including free CME options.

Dementia Awareness, Evaluation, and Care for the Healthcare Professional
Hours Offered: 1 | Associated Cost: $75
This interactive module will increase healthcare professionals’ skills to provide dementia evaluation, care, and resource support for patients living with dementia. *University of Chicago affiliates, please email [email protected] for access to a free version of this activity.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT PREVENTION

Additional Resources Available.

Sexual Harassment in Healthcare (AAFP Course)
This 1-hour sexual harassment prevention education mandate applies to ANY profession licensed by the state that requires a continuing education as a condition of re-licensure | Associated Cost: Free to Members; $20 for Non-Members | IAFP is an accredited institution

What If a Resident or Medical Student Is Raped? Hospitals and Academic Medical Centers' Title IX Obligations
Hours Offered: 1 | Associated Cost: Free | This activity is presented and accredited by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Illinois State Medical Society
Hours Offered: Up to 2 | Associated Cost: Free for ISMS members. $50 for non-ISMS members. | Expires: 12/31/2021 | The Illinois State Medical Society offers two activities on sexual misconduct.